


Working in the Underground

by HazeleyeandHermione



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, nondespair au, undercover cop AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-26
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-02-14 20:56:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2202807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HazeleyeandHermione/pseuds/HazeleyeandHermione
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kyouko Kirigiri is a detective obsessed with danger and mystery who gets assigned to a case investigating underground gambling rings. She's told to look out for one person in particular, a beautiful, mysterious and risk taking gambler by the name of Celestia Ludenberg.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Assignment

The life of a detective was one life threatening game after another, an unceasing chain of excitement, danger and thrill. There was always a new case, a new enemy, a new mystery to solve-- it was something that never once aged a bit, something she was hooked on. The adrenaline rushing through your veins, the satisfaction of taking objects and words and assembling them as clues and evidence, it was all part of her daily life yet it was impossible to grow sick of.

It was routine work of course, yet an in depth job. The sky was black, blended with hues of royal violets and midnight blues, a few stars twinkling about. She leaned softly against the street lamp, dimly illuminating her long, lilac hair as she lit a cigarette and puffed, watching the small clouds of smoke appear and then blow away. Her violaceous eyes were gazed at an approaching figure as she flicked some of the ashes to the ground.

“Those will kill you one day, Kirigiri,” the voice was deep, belonging to a man about her age. He was tall and slim from what you could see though he was dressed in a long, dark trench coat, a hat trying to conceal blonde hair and the light of the lamp above them causing a glare on the lens of his glasses.

“I know,” she responded, taking another puff and blowing it into the breeze, almost as if the action was synonymous to flipping him off. “Let’s just get to the point, shall we? You wouldn’t call me if you didn’t have anything for me. So, what do you have, Togami?”

Togami let out a small, dry laugh. “Awful blunt, aren’t you? At least you don’t like wasting my time. There are a series of underground gambling circles, it’s not too uncommon knowledge that they exist but there a couple less well known ones, and those are the ones that tend to get... violent. It’s dangerous work but someone needs to go undercover for it. Are you up for the job?”

Gambling? It was a risky field, an aggressive one as well. Things in the art of gambling had trust placed into the hands of fate rather than in the skill of the individual and Kirigiri had never considered herself a lucky person. Yet the case and the prospect seemed interesting, something about it caused excitement to flow through the detective’s veins. “I am curious as to why you had to tell me in such a shady setting? Why not my office at the station. This appears more like a drug dealing than a case assignment.”

Togami rolled his blue eyes and scoffed. “Is that important? Besides, most gambling takes place at night, figured you’d need to get used to it. Anyway, are you going to take it?”

The whole thing leaked mystery, not only from the case itself but from the man who gave it to her. Kirigiri was always a sucker for a good mystery-- she was an addict and her profession was made from indulging in her addiction. Kirigiri gave a small nod. “I’ll take the case. Is there any specific person who I should look out for?”

The blond smirked and pulled out a folder with a photo attached to the portfolio with a paper clip. The photo was of a young woman, approximately the same age as herself and Togami, with sharp and beautiful features. Her face was exquisitely pale, especially in comparison to her jet black hair which framed her face in bangs and two pieces that were loose from her two pigtails, each formed in a single curl and dressed in a white, lacy headdress. Her eyes were an attention grabbing scarlet and wideset and her red painted lips were formed in a soft smile. She resembled more a doll of porcelain than an actual human being.

“Her name is Taeko Yasuhiro, she goes under the alias of Celestia Ludenberg,” Togami explained. “High roller, very rich and very successful. one of the main gamblers in these circles yet no one knows much about her. All they know is who she is-- she’s not exactly hard to spot, always dresses in Gothic Lolita.”

Kirigiri studied the picture carefully. Celestia Ludenberg was a name coated in elegance-- a name fitting for the girl in the picture. She flipped through the folder Togami had given her, deciding to thoroughly look through it once she got home. Togami had walked away, presumably to where his driver had parked the car. Kyouko wondered if she’d be safe walking the few blocks it took to get home. It was late, dark and she was alone. Deciding that with a nearly empty wallet, walking home would be perhaps her only reasonable choice.

The detective stayed paranoid, one hand gripped tight on her satchel and the other on the knife concealed under her skirt. She focused on the sound of the heels of her boots hitting the concrete, _click, click, click_ , in a steady rhythm. She felt her entire body grow cold, prickly and tense as she felt some other noise disturbing her own little metronome. There was someone behind her, she knew it. Kirigiri grabbed the knife so she’s be able to pull it out with ease as she turned around and almost let out a scream before analyzing the situation properly.

It was a woman, about and inch or two shorter than Kirigiri and more slender than her own, pear-shaped frame. Her prominent cheekbones and features looked all too familiar, combined with the black curls and eyes that turned ruby once the light of the next street lamp hit them. She was dressed in a black petticoat skirt that was decorated with what seemed lice the white, ladder lace from her bonnet and the tops of her black, frilly thigh-high stockings. Her blouse was white with a black jacket that was frilled at the sleeve and a red tie with some intricate butterfly design. Her shoes were nearly ruby slippers and she gave a soft smile. This woman was the exact one in the picture. She had to be...

“You seem rather startled and paranoid,” her voice was light and floaty, carrying some accent that seemed a feigned mixture of French and German. “Granted, I suppose I can’t blame you. It could be rather dangerous, a young woman walking home in the dark. Ridiculous that it is and we should be paranoid, yet still tragically true. Would you like me to call a chauffeur?”

Kirigiri raised an eyebrow at the mysterious girl she had encountered. “A chauffeur would be nice if it doesn’t bother you too much yet it brings a question up. If you have drivers then why are you walking in the middle of the night?”

The Lolita let out a small giggle, it was girlish and dainty yet something about her let the detective to believe that this girl was anything but. “I do enjoy the night air sometimes, so I tend to take midnight strolls. It’s rather nice. I’ll call them right now, if you like. However, I would like to know your name in return.”  
“My name? It’s Kyouko Kirigiri,” she replied. This girl was something different. Someone so extraordinary and unaverage and interesting that Kirigiri felt compelled to know more about her. This excited the detective for her future work.

“Delighted to meet you, Kyouko Kirigiri. My name is Celestia Ludenberg.”


	2. Who

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyouko Kirigiri makes observations on the girl, only to find herself questioning more and more.

Celestia Ludenberg... she had accepted a ride home with a possible criminal-- the exact felon Kirigiri was trying to catch no less. Perhaps this would be the ideal method in trying to discover the secrets behind this elusive gambler. After all, people always said to keep your friends close but your enemies closer and Kirigiri could pretend to be her ally-- the calm disguised as the storm. They sat in the back of Celestia’s car, a gorgeously vintage, European ode, as the detective studied her features; the way the moonlight from the exposed sunroof illuminated and highlighted her visage, making her skin even paler and her facial structure more contrast. She truly was a very pretty girl, yet beauty and elegance was only the first layer to this Celestia Ludenberg.

It was amazing how much one could learn based on nothing but mere observation, no words or anything, just a setting and dead silence. The car had a faint smell of drinking alcohol-- a combination of a fine wine and whiskey. This girl was a drinker, it was hard to debate given the aroma. Kirigiri’s violet eyes drifted towards her body. Her small breasts had an odd shape to them. Rather than the natural, teardrop shape that most others had, hers had a distinctively rounder shape. It was nearly impossible to assume that they were real, yet if they had been implants, they were rather small in size. If you’re going to spend all that money to make your bust bigger, why such a small amount? There was always the possibility that Celestia was designated male at birth and merely transitioned yet lacked a desire for over exaggerated curves.

“It’s not polite to stare, Kirigiri,” the Lolita reprimanded her, apparently catching the sleuth’s gaze fixed onto her bust. “I figured you’d at least try to be a bit more discrete about it,” she sighed. The shape was unnatural and Kirigiri stuck to her own conclusion.

Kirigiri’s eyes widened as the Lolita called her out, her cheeks flushing to a barely noticeable shade of pink. “Oh, I apologize, Celestia,” she nodded. “I tend to observe everything, staring wasn’t my intention. It shan’t happen again.”

“You can call me Celes if you’d like,” Celes replied with a small smirk, dimples appearing on her sullen, pale cheeks, red lips half curved. “Oh, but it happened nonetheless,” she replied, her voice carrying a tone of amusement. At least she hadn’t angered the gambler. “May I ask why you were out so late and alone?”

Kirigiri replied with a simple shrug. “It’s not necessary information. I’d like to keep things on a need-to-know basis. Besides, what were you doing out so late and alone, Celes?”

The gambler placed a finger dressed and decorated with a silver ring that resembled some sort of claw or weapon on Kirigiri’s lightly glossed, full lips. “Need to know basis,” she replied, her tone overly snarky as the smirk across her face grew.

“Touché,” the sleuth let out what seemed to be a tiny laugh. Yet, it wasn’t a completely laugh as laughs were more powerful, yet the meaning behind it was the same in the long run. “Ah, but you told me earlier that you enjoyed a midnight stroll. Unless you were lying and forgot the lie you had told, you’ve already let it slip.”

Celestia’s ruby eyes opened wide at the accusation before her. “Lying? Oh, Kirigiri, I’m not one to lie. I can, however, always decipher when one is being untruthful. I caution you not to lie to me-- I always know your tell even if you don’t know it yourself.”

Kirigiri looked at the girl with intrigue. “My tell?”

“Yes,” she replied, “your tell. It’s what lets me know whether or not you’re telling the truth. It’s something that can’t be helped, no matter what. One can only try to hide it. More often than not, it's not successful.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, what’s your tell, Celestia? How can I tell if you’re lying or not?” the detective questioned, wanting to be able to recognize her dishonesty. The gambler spoke with such provoking thought and emotions, yet when stripping the layers away, she spoke in a monotone.

“Me? Oh, I don’t have one,” she said, her voice light and floating off into the air surrounding them, yet carrying some strange form of ominous intonation to it. “It’s why I’m rather talented at lying.”

“I thought you said you didn’t lie, Celes,” Kirigiri raised one of her thick, angular eyebrows in suspicion. It must have been yet another one of her fallacies. Celestia Ludenberg was a lie in itself, her European alias being nothing but a cover for her true identity.

In response, Celes gave a small, girlish giggle. It was the gigle identical to the one she always let out, ones that built up with eloquence to create her own masquerade. “I said I wasn’t one to lie but that doesn’t mean I can’t be exceptional at it. For example, I tell the occasional white lie and it goes through perfectly every time. Or, I could even be lying about that, I suppose you’ll just have to figure that out. Oh, dear, I do believe we’ve arrived at my manor.”

The house she lived in seemed a replica of that of a lord or lady from Victorian England. It was magnificent and rather large in size, the girl threw herself into a lifestyle of grandeur. Yet, the whole thing itself seemed extravagant. “You live here? Chauffeur, nice cars, beautiful house, expensive fashion. You’re obviously wealthy. May I ask how? What do you do in order to have such riches?”

“So, are we not speaking on a need-to-know basis anymore?” she pouted slightly. Her bottom lip quivered as she did so, a slight and tragic tremble of it. It made the thought of kissing them appealing. “Oh well. If you must know, I come from a very wealthy family. My father is a French aristocrat and my mother is a very successful German composer. As a result, I’m rather well off.”

“Where are your parents then? I mean, I see no other cars or sign of other people,” she asked yet another question. Kirigiri knew that was a lie. Celestia made her money via gambling, the detective wanted to see if she’d admit it.

The crimson eyes of the high roller widened again.  Kirigiri observed as the small creases on her forehead appeared as she did so, the lines tiny and barely distinguishable. “My parents? Oh... well, you see, they died in a tragic accident. I was the sole beneficiary in their will. I inherited everything. I don’t think I’d really have to work a day in my life and still be comfortable.”

More lies. Well, perhaps that part in itself wasn’t a lie. it was possible that her parents were dead, but it wasn’t the reason she was so affluent. She would have to befriend the gambler in order to know her true tactics and be able to see into the world of underground gambling. It was an odd thing that her world had come to. She plunged herself into the world of an undercover disguise, covering herself in her own life and mission that she was buried alive in her secrets. The lines between her fictional life and the actual Kyouko Kirigiri at times became muddled. Who was Kyouko Kirigiri? Perhaps the answer could be the same as the question she was sent to find the answer to. _Who was Celestia Ludenberg?_ She didn’t know the answer to the latter. The part that drove her up a wall was that she was unsure of the answer to the first one either.


	3. How

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kirigiri and Celestia share a few words, and Kirigiri comes about an unfortunate realization.

People could talk so much without saying anything. Someone who rambles on and on about words that were less tangible than air itself. Celestia was so emptily loquacious. She spoke so many words, each containing complexity but when strung together all they meant were nothing. Something about it tipped Kirigiri to believe that it was all intentional. Her words were nothing yet her silence said more than any of her long stories or monologues.

“You were meant to go home,” the gambler told her, muttering. “I forgot to take you home. I was far too focused on my own goals, wasn’t I?” Celestia looked, not at Kirigiri, but at some odd distance past Kirigiri’s own body. It was not a fixture on the wall behind her, not a piece of art or furniture. No, Celestia looked at her words. She looked at nothing. Yet, she seemed to see everything. Perhaps this is how she caught the lies flying into the air, she could hear the words at base level, but could see the vibrations echoing and bouncing off of the objects.

“I don’t mind,” Kirigiri told her. She wasn’t lying, the place was far better than her own flat. It was like stepping into another world. Celes certainly had an eye for decor. “I can go home later.”

Celestia smiled and nodded. “Very well then. Would you like to stay the night, Miss Kyouko Kirigiri?” the invitation was so oddly worded, her full name was used but it carried a small tone of flirtatious teasing. “I could take you home the next day. I’d rather not go out again tonight,” the woman snapped her fingers twice and a slender, tall and pale man came to her, carrying a tray. His hair was platinum and his eyes an odd shade of dark brown that almost shone crimson; His face was greatly angled and his cheeks sullen.

“ _You called, Madame von Ludenberg?_ ” he spoke what the detective knew was German, an Austrian dialect. His voice was deep and smooth. It carried no tone of emotion other than an utter fondness and subdued calmness.

“ _Stephan, yes, I did. You need not speak German. There is a guest here, I wish for you to speak Japanese_ ,” she ordered and received a small nod of the head. “Now then, what kind of tea do you drink, Kirigiri?”

Kirigiri was about to decline the offer of tea, before deciding that it would be impolite. “Whichever you’re having. I have no preference of tea.”

“Alright,” Celestia then faced the butler. “Stephan, two cups of my usual, you know how to prepare it. One for me and one for the guest as well.”

The butler nodded and left, leaving the two girls alone together. Celestia merely sat on a throne-like armchair, black, white and ornate, with her legs crossed and her hands folded on her lap. Kirigiri, who sat on a wrought-iron sofa with dark grey and white patterned cushions looked down at her gloved hands.

“He’s very loyal, you know,” Celes smiled softly as soon as the butler had exited. “Stephan, I mean. A very diligent and hardworking knight. I admire his loyalty to me. Not many people have such an outstanding quality.”

Kirigiri nodded. “How many servants do you have exactly?” the sleuth asked. This girl was more than well to do, she was loaded. The place was extravagant, she lived like royalty. One could easily get used to such a lifestyle. She must be an extraordinary gambler to have such lavish riches.

Celestia let out a small giggle. “None. I don’t have _servants_ , Kirigiri. Rather, I have knights who are so dedicated to me that they’re willing to serve me in even the most trivial manners.”

Kirigiri nodded. “A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. He is still a servant,” she told the gambler with a small chuckle.

The gambler merely laughed again. “Oh, hush. There’s a distinct difference. Servants are anyone you can find for hire. However, it takes a certain brand of loyalty to be a knight. That is where the difference is drawn. My servants would give me tea. My knights, however, are so devoted that they would give their lives.”

Kirigiri’s violet eyes widened at her bold statement. _Give their lives? I honestly hope this is just another one of her sick jokes. She seems to have a fondness for them_ , the detective remarked to herself. “That certainly is a trait of blind loyalty. It’s almost too blind, wouldn’t you say?”

Celes nodded. “I agree wholeheartedly,” she said, much to the surprise of the sleuth. “Their loyalty is borderline fanaticism. It can be a bit unnerving at times, how easily I can control them. They are like marionette puppets, and I have all of the strings. It can be weird, having so much control over others. However, you learn to enjoy it.”

Stephan came with a teacup and saucer for both of them. After the women took their cups, he bowed his head before leaving the room. Kirigiri took a sip of her tea and   
smiled softly. It was exquisitely prepared. She had not believed that tea was even able to carry such a fine flavor. Celes apparently noticed and smiled.

“I am delighted that I am not the only one who appreciates such a fine drink. It’s a bit difficult to make it, but I believe the end results are better, don’t you?”  
Kirigiri nodded. “You know Celes. You’re a world class liar,” the detective told her, taking another sip of her tea.

One could see every muscle of the goth girl tense up as Kirigiri spoke. Her crimson eyes opened wide and stared at Kirigiri in a way that sent shivers up her back. Those shivers soon felt like knives the longer she stared. Total silence was the only thing that filled the air for what seemed like seconds that dragged on to long, painful hours until, finally, Celes let out a small giggle. It was cheery on the outside, but the entire laugh seemed forced and cold; her smile was one of ice. “What makes you say that, Kirigiri?” her words still flowed together like a songbird’s melody, but the sickly sweet tone of it was alarming.

“First of all, I know for a fact that you did not inherit this property from anyone. Rather, you purchased it from an affluent couple who decided that they no longer needed the home. Many people thought that it was a poor move economically, for the girl who had purchased it was rather young. Yet, she was rich and had the money. This was merely a few years ago, so I doubt you’d be able to inherit it so quickly. Therefore, it’s easy to conclude that you’re a liar,” she elaborated, waiting for the gambler to snap. She merely let out another giggle, which made the sleuth feel like there were needles in her spine.

“You seem to know this place rather well, yes?” she took another sip of her tea, this time her crimson lipstick leaving a small smudge on the tiny, porcelain teacup.

“I’ve lived here my entire life, of course I do,” Kirigiri replied plainly. “However, I do have one question. If you’re not an heiress, then where do you get your money?”

Celestia’s red eyes widened at her question, her pale face growing whiter. “Oh, dear. We are getting rather ahead of ourselves, are we not?”

Kirigiri nodded. If she wanted to get anything out of this woman, it would be difficult. She’d have to rely on her own abilities of deception. It was hard to think of a lie when your opponent practically saw them buzzing throughout the air and swatted them down like flies. Quickly, she thought of one and began to speak.

“Of course, Celes. I just couldn’t help but wonder... your face is one that I would never forget,” Kirigiri told her, trying to lie the best she could. Celes’s dark, angular eyebrow arched in curiosity as she asked her to explain. “Well, I suppose that’s piqued your curiosity. I guess I could let you know, but you cannot tell anyone else that you know this, understood?”

Celestia paused in thought for a second. “Very well, I suppose. Continue with your story, Kirigiri. I’m intrigued.”

Kirigiri ran a gloved hand through her lilac hair and sighed softly. “Well, you see, I have an interest in gambling. You seem to be the infamous Celestia Ludenberg, while I’ve never been foolish enough to play against you, you had been pointed out to others by me. You have never lost.”

Celestia giggled. “Oh dear, it seems I have been caught in a lie. People usually are not quite clever enough to discover my lies. I am not sure if I admire your intelligence or if I am annoyed at being found out. But, you are right, Kirigiri. I am not an heiress, rather a very skilled gambler.”

“Is that where you were coming from, when we met?” the detective asked. “Another gambling ring? I find the idea of leisurely nightly strolls not being your main interest.”

Celestia broke eye contact. “What I was doing does not concern you, does it? Besides, there are a few questions I would like to ask you.”

Kirigiri studied the gambler’s body language piece by piece. The way she seemed to be made of an immovable stone with the exception of her hands clenching, black painted nails digging into her petticoats all was a readable emotion. She was most certainly gambling earlier. “Questions? Go ahead.”

Her crimson eyes darted to the folder that was laying on the low table. “Why were you carrying that folder? I wonder what could be in it. Do you know?”

Kirigiri gave a small smile. “What’s in that folder does not concern you, does it?” she imitated the words of Celestia. Mocking the gambler was an incredibly risky decision. Today was not a good day to die, in Kirigiri’s opinion. She briefly prepared herself for any backlash from her counterpart.

“You are incredibly frustrating. I find it very distasteful,” the high roller sighed. “Oh dear... I’m out of tea. Most unfortunate...”

“Ask for someone to get you another cup,” Kirigiri shrugged. “It seems like the most logical response, don’t you think?”

Celestia shook her head. “Most certainly not. It would be difficult for me to sleep if I decided to have another cup. And I must sleep, after all.”

Kirigiri was about to say something, but decided that it would perhaps be best to simply stay silent. Celes soon rose from her seat and started to walk out of the room. “Wait, where are you going?”

Celestia looked at her and smiled. “I was going to sit in the opening out back. There is a lovely gazebo and the stars seemed lovely today. I figured it would be nice to sit and think with a glass of a fine wine. Join me, if you wish to do so, Kirigiri.”

Almost without hesitation, the detective nodded. She didn’t want to be alone in such a grand, mysterious place like the Ludenberg Mansion. Besides, she decided that she could go for a smoke. Granted, Celestia didn’t seem like someone who would drink a lot. She seemed far too uptight and proper.

Yet, there she was, the moonlight accentuating her angular, milky white face and deep red eyes as she stood gazing at the stars. They seemed to twinkle in dim comparison to the glimmer in her eye as Celes spotted Kirigiri. She made a ‘come hither’ motion with her two fingers of the hand that wasn’t holding a half-full wine glass. Kirigiri did as she was told and sat under the gazebo as well. “I am glad you joined me out here. Would you care for a glass of wine?”

Kirigiri politely declined the offer. “No, thank you. I don’t like it that much,” she told the other girl as she took out a match and lit a cigarette, placing it to her lips. Enjoying watching part of the smoke drifting up into the surrounding air, she inhaled before puffing out another stream of smoke.

Celestia looked at her with slight distaste as she took a sip of her wine. “You smoke. What a revolting habit, and all this time I believed you to be intelligent,” she said, her nose slightly crinkled in disgust.

“You drink,” Kirigiri responded. “I don’t really see what makes us so different, Celes. I mean, you have a rather large collection of wine, I presume. You seem to have a particular liking to the stuff.”

“Perhaps,” Celes fell silent, her face twitching in slight annoyance. She merely looked at the sky again, allowing the stars to be absorbed in her eyes again. The gambler was beautiful, that was certain. The elements of the nighttime sky only accentuated such a beauty. Yet, behind her fair facade lay something for more interesting and complex. It was perhaps one of the few riddles Kyouko Kirigiri couldn’t quite solve.

The sleuth wasn’t aware she’d been staring at the girl until she gave a soft giggle. “My, my, my, Kirigiri, are you so enthralled by my looks that you cannot move your eyes away from me?”

At Celestia’s words, Kirigiri’s cheeks flushed slightly. There was something about the girl that captivated her. “I wasn’t trying to stare, Celes... I apologize. I merely can't help but to observe. It's bad habit.”

“Oh, there is no need for apologies,” the high roller told her. “Although, I have an idea. You said you enjoyed a good gamble. Accompany me tomorrow night. Perhaps you could better my luck,” she smirked. _Is it even possible to better your luck? You’ve never lost_ , Kirigiri said to herself before nodding.

Celestia finished her glass of wine and announced she was headed to bed as she stood from the black, iron framed chairs. Every movement she made was eye-catching and Kirigiri merely observed her as she carried on her walking.

She took one deep breath and sighed. She was screwed. Absolutely, undeniably screwed. That’s what happens when you keep your enemies a little too close.


	4. When

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast at the Ludenberg Manor was a strange occurence. Nothing here seemed normal.

           Kirigiri woke up on one of the softest beds she’d ever been on. Rays of bright, morning sunshine peeked through the curtains and into the sleuth’s face. It took her a few seconds to realize where she was, as it certainly wasn’t where she was supposed to be. She sat up, the red and silky comforter sliding down as she did. She was clothed still, that was comforting. Lord knows that her hostess had a bewitching quality about her. She got up and stretched a bit before stepping outside of her door. _What time is it? It’s almost as if finding a clock here is impossible._

          “Good morning, mademoiselle Kirigiri,” the ‘knight’ that addressed her this time was a different one than the night before. “The mistress is in the dining hall, waiting for you to join her for breakfast.”

           Kirigiri nodded. “Thank you. Do you know where the dining hall is? This house is rather large, I haven’t gotten a chance to get to know the place yet.”

           “Of course,” he nodded, some of his dark brown bangs falling into his pallid face. “If the mademoiselle would be so kind as to follow me, I will take you to Mlle. Ludenberg.”

            To say Celestia’s house was large would be an understatement. It was enormous; it seemed as if it were limitless in its space. The dining room was too large for its occupants. It had a magnificent, Gothic chandelier and a long ebony and glass table. There were tall, pentagonal windows that let in the morning sunlight.

           “Good morning, Kirigiri. Would you care for a cup of tea?” Celestia was sitting on one side, in the middle. The sleuth had expected her to sit at the far end to fit with the typical acts of the head of household.

           “Tea would be very nice, Celes… thank you,” she replied as the Goth motioned to her servant, who headed immediately to the kitchen.

           “Please, do sit down, Kirigiri,” Celes pointed to the chair right across from her. Kirigiri pulled it out and hesitantly sat down, unsure if it was some sort of trick. “There you go; it is not difficult, Kirigiri. Now, what would you like for breakfast? You can have anything you want.”

           “I don’t really have a preference for breakfast food. I’ll eat whatever you’re in the mood for,” she responded, taking a sip of the tea that the man brought in. She thanked him as Celestia began to give another order.

           “I believe we’ll both take a nice spinach omelet, as well as some bread with the sweet azuki paste. Perhaps some yogurt with blueberry jam and bananas as well? Also, a nice green salad with some of that new fruit Stefan brought tossed in. I believe that should be enough, unless something else tickles your fancy?”

            Kirigiri was wide-eyed at what she asked. It was a lot of food, and sweet food wasn’t common for breakfast. “No, thank you. That’s plenty of food.”

            Celestia nodded. “Very well. Off you go, Amador. I do not want you to dawdle this time. We have a guest this morning. You know I do not like it when a guest is left waiting.”

            Her knight nodded and left immediately. There was a bit of an awkward silence between the two. Kirigiri usually didn’t mind silence, but this was unbearable. “I’ve never heard about having bread with sweet azuki paste for breakfast. Interesting idea for a morning meal.”

            “I actually got the idea from a nice café I used to frequent. It was one of their specialties. I would go there almost every day,” Celestia’s voice grew dreamy. She was deep in reminiscence of a fond memory, her face forming a sincere, yet subtle smile. It was perhaps one of the few genuine emotions the detective had seen from the gambler.

            “If you don’t mind my asking, why did you stop going?”

            Celestia sighed softly. “I moved here. The café was in my old city. I like living here, I honestly do, I just miss my old haunts sometimes. It is easy to grow nostalgic for things that you have to leave behind.”

            “How long ago did you come here?” Kirigiri asked. The mystery of Celestia Ludenberg had been eating her alive at night. She was hungry for every single detail of her life. When the detective couldn’t solve a mystery, she only became more involved in it.

            “It was about four or five years ago, I would say. I came here when I ran away from home,” Celestia’s face hinted at some other emotion… sadness? Or, perhaps it was fear. Kirigiri couldn’t read that far behind her mask yet.

            “You ran away? You must have been about fourteen at the time. Didn’t anyone look for you? I mean to say, you wouldn’t be hard to find. You make quite an impression on others,” Kyouko responded, trying not to say anything too offensive to the girl.

            “Dear lord, where is Amador already? Breakfast should not take this long,” Celes grew impatient, hostility creeping into her once saccharine voice. Her fingers drummed on the table, the gentle sound of long, black painted fingernails following a steady rhythm.

            Soon, a pile of plates were spread across the table. Celes rose from her seat and gave a sickly sweet smile. “Amador, dear. May I please have a word with you about your punctuality?”

            Fear was apparent in the poor servant’s blue eyes. “U-um, yes Mistress. I understand that breakfast took an awfully long tie again and it shan’t happen again! It just so happens that the chef came late and he couldn’t find the eggs! I swear to it!”

            The gambler sighed and walked over to him, causing Amador to shrink in fear. _Is she that intimidating to these men? He’s got to be almost twice her strength._ She placed a pale hand on his stubbly cheek, causing Kirigiri to observe her silver, claw-like ring. “Amador, you are aware of how much you love me, as am I. I want you to try a little harder next time, okay?” she removed the hand, causing the servant to fall to his knees gasping.

            “Now, let us try to enjoy a nice breakfast,” Celestia spoke gently as she took a piece of bread. “Also, I assume you would want to talk to me about what will happen tonight?” she took a bite.

            Kirigiri swallowed nervously. “Well, yes. I don’t know what to do or where to go. Nor do I know when to go, actually. You’ve left me utterly clueless, Celes.”

            Celestia rolled her crimson eyes and took another bite. “I figured you would just go along with me no matter what. Most people I know tend to follow me. It’s almost like you cannot trust me, Kirigiri.”

            Kirigiri decided to try some of the yogurt in the bowl on the table. “I find it’s a wise decision not to trust anyone you just met. You must know the same thing, right?” it was the surefire way to avoid getting hurt, according to her.

            Celes sighed and sipped her tea. “I guess that means you do not believe in love at first sight? I mean, there can never be a moment where you see someone and you immediately _know_ that you have a special connection where you can trust them with anything. That is what love is, is it not, Kirigiri?”

            Kirigiri felt her face grow somewhat warm at the gambler mentioning love with a teasing tone in her voice. Love at first sight was something illogical, yet Kirigiri understood what she was talking about. She felt gripped by Celes the moment they met, but she was so afraid of calling it love.

            “I suppose it is. But, I think it’s impossible to be _in_ love with someone you’ve just met. They’re practically a stranger to you,” Kirigiri played with the edges of her leather gloves nervously. “Anyway, I would much rather focus on our plans tonight.”

            Celes let out another sigh, only it was far more melodramatic than the first. “You spoil my fun, Kirigiri. I am not permitted to tell you the location; I don’t need to anyway since we’re going together. However, I can tell you when it is. We shall leave at eleven, make sure you are ready by then. I refuse to be late.”

            Kirigiri nodded. “Okay. Do you want me to wear anything in particular? I figured that since I’m travelling with you, I might have some sort of dress code.”

            The high roller giggled softly. “No need to worry, Kirigiri. I have something for you to wear. The entire thing shall be fantastic,” she finished off the omelet on the table. “You can trust me, by the way. There should be no reason for you not to.”

            With that, Celestia rose from the table. “Don’t worry about the dishes, someone will take care of them. Feel free to roam around the house, or do something outside of the manor until we have to start getting ready. I shall be in the rose gardens if you need me,” she said before exiting the dining room.

            Kirigiri sat at the table a little while longer, pondering. Celes said that Kirigiri could trust her, yet the sleuth knew damn well that she couldn’t. Everything about Celes was a lie. Celestia Ludenberg wasn’t even real, yet Taeko Yasuhiro was nowhere to be found. The gambler teased her about love at first sight, and it had stuck firmly in Kirigiri’s mind. Was Kirigiri falling for the woman who she was assigned to take down? She knew that, against all of her judgment, she would wind up trusting the queen of liars. The only downside was, she didn’t know _when_ it would happen.


End file.
